DBA 3.0 armies, projects and campaigns set in the ancient, medieval and fantasy periods.

Thursday, 16 February 2017

Historical Match up - Early Byzantine vs. the Nobades.

This was the
second in a series of nine matches. The Nobades are predominately an infantry
army with equal numbers of spear and archers supported by cavalry and home
terrain being ‘Dry’ afford them
an ample selection of rough and bad going terrain.

Game 1

The Nobades
deployed first and positioned their infantry spear flanked by archers as their
first line. These would be supported by all the mounted which formed the
reserve.

The Byzantine
faced the Nobades infantry with all its legionnaires and psiloi. With the
exception of the Herul all the Byzantine cavalry formed on the left with their main
objective would be to envelop the Nobades reserve and by sheer weight of
numbers would destroy their mounted arm.

Paralysed by
the impending danger, the Nobades cavalry caught flat footed (low pip score).
The Nobades tribesmen surged forward to meet the Byzantine infantry. The
Byzantine cavalry changed from column to line formation leaving the Hunnic LH
to complete their encircling move.

The battle
was brief and hotly contested as both sides reach 4 – 4 score on the same
bound. A final effort by the Byzantine cavalry secured the victory by eliminating
the Nobades general. Score 6g – 4, E.
Byzantine.

Game 2

The second engagement
was quite similar in deployment as the previous battle. The Byzantine mobile
column performed their task efficiently to secure the victory, again by taking
out their general.

The final
battle, the Nobades deployment reflected a change in strategy. Taking advantage
of a difficult hill to secure their right, the army deployed in echelon with
their left refused. The troops so positioned would foil any attempt by the
Byzantine to turn an open flank.

Emboldened by
their previous victories, the Byzantine modified their plan by placing nearly
all their cavalry and infantry on the right and leaving the Herul and Huns to
cover the centre and left flank.

The Nobades
were not slow to react as they quickly moved troops to add weight to the
endangered left flank.

The Byzantine
cavalry struck first shattering infantry formations and their cavalry recoiling
under the weight of numbers. The Byzantine infantry joined the battle
committing all but the Huns who were lurking about for their moment. In two bounds, the battle was over. Score 5g – 1, E. Byzantine.